Cream-separator.



"No. 709.035,; Patented Sept. I6, 1902 C. W. PARKS.

' CREAM SEPARATOR.

(Appligation med Sept. 20, 1901.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE,

CLARENCE WV. PARKS, OF LOlVELL, MICHIGAN.

CREAIV-SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming tart of Letters Patent No. 709,035, dated September 16', 1902.

Application filed $eptemlaer 20,1901. Serial No. 75,755; (No model.)

.To (LZZ 1071,0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE W. PARKS, acitizen of theUnited States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Cream- Separator, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to cream-separators of that class wherein water or the like is employed in the separating operation, and is designed to provide an improved device of this character to facilitate the separation of the cream and the drawing off thereof from the milk containing receptacle. It is furthermore designed to provide the milk-containing can with an improved stand or support for holding the receptacle in an upright elevated position, so as to facilitate the drawing off of the contents thereof, and also arranged to permit of the receptacle being tilted into an inclined position for the purpose of facilitating the cleansingthereof.

A final object of the invention is to arrange for shifting the receptacle fromits normallyelevated position, so as to be supported wholly within the frame or stand, whereby the latter is adapted to form a crate for shipping the separator.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in'the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made Within the scope of the claims without departing from the spiritv or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the present invention arranged for transportation andistorage. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal sectional view thereof, showing the receptacle in its normally elevated position in full lines and tilted into potion for cleansing, as shown in dotted lines.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

In carrying out the present invention there is provided a stand or frame structure embodyingfonrstandards or uprights 1 ,the front and rear part-s of which are connected by up per and lower cross-bars 2 and 3, respectively, and also intermediate cross-bars 4, of which the upper and intermediate cross-bars are provided in their upper edges with corresponding notches or sockets5 and 6, respectively, for the reception of the bearingsof the milk-containing receptacle, as will be hereinafterdescribed. Theoppositerearuprights are connected by means of a bottom cross-bar 7' and an intermediate cross-bar 8, thereby completing the stand or frame, which is entirely open or unobstructed between its front uprights, so as to permit of the introduction and removal of the milk-receptacle. The milk-receptacle is in the form of a cylindrical can 9, the lower end of which is provided with a substantially conical extension 10, the front wall of which is substantially .vertical and alined with the front of the can.

The apex of the cover is provided with an opening having an upstanding screw-threaded flange or nipple 16, to which is removably fitted a screw-threaded cap 17, which is provided with a central opening 18, having a screen-cover 19, there being a removable imperforate disk 20, normally clamped between the outer edge of the flange or nipple 1G and the cap 17. By this arrangement the opening in the cover is normally closed, and by removing the disk or plate 20said opening is uncovered, although protected by the screen 19, and by inverting the cover the latter may be employed to form a funnel having a strainer formed by the screen 19 for convenience in filling the receptacle. At the middle of the receptacle there is provided the diametrically opposite and outwardly projected bearing studs or projections 21, which are suitably secured to the can and are adapted to be supported in either pair of notches 5 and 6 in the supporting frame or stand, so as to support the can in an upright position. When the can is situated as shown in Fig. 2, it is held against accidental movement upon its bearings 21 by means of a cross-bar 22 extending across the front edges of the front uprights 1 and having one end pivotally connected to one of the uprights, as indicated at23, the opposite free end of the bar being provided with a notch to form a hook 24 for engagement with a headed pin or keeper 25, carried by the other front up right. lheintermediate portion of this crossbar is provided with a rearwardly-directed arm 26, having its outer end provided with a pendent hook or extension 27 for detachable engagement with a loop or socket 28, carried by the lower portion of the front of the can, whereby the latter is conveniently and efiectually held against swinging movement upon its support. Moreover, the arm 26 lies in close proximity to the front of the can when in its lowermost position, so that it prevents tilting of the can in one direction, and the rear cross-bar 8 prevents material tilting in the opposite direction, whereby it is evident that the arm 26 forms means to prevent tilting of the can in both of its positions.

In employlng the device for separating cream the can is placed in an elevated position, as indicated in Fig. 2, and milk is poured into the same through the top thereof, after which a suitable quantity of water is poured into the can, and then the aerating device 29 is employed to effectually aerate the milk. This device comprises a substantially conical cup-like body 30, which is perforated, as at 31, and is provided with a handle 32, whereby the device may be reciprocated within the can. It is first pushed quickly downward to the bottom of the can, where it remains until the air drawn downwardly has risen through the milk and water, and then the device is quickly raised, this operation being repeated ten or twelve times, thereby to thoroughly aerate the milk. After standing a suitable length of time the milk and water are drawn off through the discharge-t' alve 12 and the cream finally drawn off in the same manner, the division between these parts being readily observed through the glass-covered opening 33, formed in the front portion of the extended bottom of the device. As the aerator is a separate invention from the frame which forms a shipping-crate and also a stand for supporting a can in an elevated position, no claim therefor has been made in the present case, and I therefore reserve the right to make a separate application for patent on the aerator at some future date. To clean the can, the valve 12, the cover, and the device 29 are removed from the can, the lockbar 22 is swung backwardly upon its pivotal support, so as to disengage the catch-arm 26 from the can, and then the latter is swung rearwardly upon its pivotal support into the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2

of the drawings, whereby the extended cylindrical bottom portion strikes the intermediate rear cross-beam 8, and thereby supports the can in an inclined position for facilitating the cleansing of the can. It will here be noted that an upper rear cross-bar has been omitted in order that the can may be swung over into its tilted position.

When it is desired to ship or store the device, the valve 12 is removed and placed within the can, after which the latter is lifted out of the bearingsockets 5 and moved downwardly into the frame, so as to be supported in the sockets 6, whereby the can is located wholly within the stand or frame, and the latter forms a crate for the support and protection of the can. It will here be noted that the intermediate cross-bars 4 are located in the same vertical planes with the corresponding upper cross-bars 2 in order that. the bearing-sockets 6 may be in proper relation to'receive the bearing projections 21.

What I claim is 1. In a device of the character described,the combination with a crate or stand having upper and lower seats, of a receptacle constructed to be interchangeably supported by the seats of the stand, and a single locking device engaging the receptacle while supported in either of the seats for holding the receptacle in an upright position.

2. In a device of the characterdescribed,the combination with a crate or stand having corresponding upper and intermediate crossbars provided with corresponding seats, of a receptacle to fit within the stand and having oppositeoutwardly-directed projections to interchangeably fit the respective seats, and a locking device carried by the standard and engaging the receptacle in both of its positions for holding the same in an upright position.

3. In a device of the character described,the combination with a stand or support, of a creaming-can pivotally carried thereby and provided with a keeper, a locking device pivoted to one side of the frame and having its free end provided with a catch, a keeper upon the frame and located in the path of the catch to hold the locking device against accidental movement, and a laterally-projected catch carried by an intermediate portion of the locking device and disposed for engagement with the keeper of the can to prevent accidental swinging thereof.

4. In a device of the character described,the combination with a supporting stand or frame, of a creaming-can pivotally carried thereby and provided with akeeper, and a swinging cross-bar pivotally connected to one side of the frame and having a detachable connection with the opposite side thereof, the intermediate portion of the cross-bar being provided with a hook or catch for detachable engagement with the keeper of the can.

5. In a device of the character described,the combination with a stand or supporting-frame comprising corner-uprights and cross-bars, of a creaming-can pivotally supported within the frame, and across-bar pivotally connected to one of the uprights and having a detachable hooked connection with the opposite upright, the intermediate portion of the cross-bar being provided with a hook or catch to engage the can and hold it against accidental swinging movements.

6. The combination of a supporting-frame having an open front, an open top and an open upper back portion, pairs of upper and lower bearings, a vertically-disposed receptacle of less length than the frame and having normally closed top and bottom openings, and opposite outwardly-directed bearing projections normally seated in the lower pair of bearings of the frame and capable of being interchanged from one pair of bearings to the other, the receptacle also being capable of being inverted upon its pivots when seated in the upper pair of bearings to rest its lower end upon the back of the frame.

7. The combination of a supporting-frame having an open front, an open top and an open upper back portion, pairs of upper and lower bearings, a vertically-disposed receptacle of less length than the frame and having normally closed top and bottom openings, and opposite outwardly-directed bearing projections located above the middle of the receptacle, normally seated in the lower pair of bearings of the frame and capable of being interchanged from one pair of bearings to the other pair, the receptacle also being capable of being inverted upon its pivots when seated in the upper pair of bearings to rest its lower end upon the back of the frame, a keeper upon the lower front side of the receptacle, a cross-bar pivoted to one side of the upper front of the frame and having a detachable connection with the opposite side of the front, and a lateral inwardly-directed hook rigidly carried by the cross-bar and capable of engaging the keeper to hold. the receptacle against accidental movement when supported in the upper pairs of bearings.

8. A combined shipping-crate and stand, comprising fourcorneruprights, upper, lower and intermediate cross-bars connecting cor responding front and rear uprights, a bottom and an intermediate cross-bar connecting the rear uprights, the space between the rear uprights above the intermediate cross-bar being open, the opposite intermediate and top crossbars being provided in their upper edges with corresponding notches, and a single cross-bar connectingthe front uprights and having one end pivotally connected to one of said uprights, the opposite free end of the crossbar having a hooked connection with the other upright, and the intermediate portion of the cross-bar having a laterally-pro jected hook.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses CLARENCE W. PARKS. 

